It’s Time
July 1, 2008
I do believe that it is time to end our blogging season for now. I am hesitant to leave things as they are, with my posting only now and then, and the posting getting further and further apart. It seems our lives have taken a turn in which we are, well, uncertain as to where and what the future holds. We are not uncertain as to who holds our future. However, our lives at this time have made it rather difficult to stay on top of this blog and many other things as well, to say the least.
For those of you who have faithfully read our posts and especially to those of you who have been so very supportive through our blogging process, I want to say a great big thank you. You all know who you are.
We are cutting the cords to all we have have had in the immediate past and freeing ourselves to whatever is yet before us and only the Lord Jesus knows what this is. This need to simplify our lives and in some ways to actually seperate ourselves from things as well, is seemingly essential for us at this time. We have or rather are, in the process of shutting down our web site as well for a while, until we have the needed clarity from the Lord of how, when and to where we are to step forward.
As we continue to wait upon the Lord Jesus Christ and thus entering this season of quiet and seperation, please know that all that we have believed and have written, remains in our hearts and lives, affirmed and strongly held as the Living Word of the Lord. This disintangling of the few remaining things in our lives of our past ministry, is only a step, yet an important step for us to take at this time. It is our prayer that we will once again be joined together with you all, on the other side of this, Lord willing. We know not how long or brief this season will be…
So, until then in the Lord Jesus Christ, … Every Blessing in the Lord Jesus Christ to each and every one of you!
Your Servant,
Phil
Thank You Lord Jesus, The Great “I AM”
June 18, 2008
John 18:2-6 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. ESV
This passage has always amazed me and now so very much even comforts me. Let me explain.
Where Have All The Children Gone?
June 13, 2008
We are losing our children. We are not winning the battle for the next generation. We must reclaim this lost ground before it is too late.
Malachi 4:5-6 (ESV) 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”
Just a Thought About Dependency
June 7, 2008
In John’s Gospel, Chapter 15 verse five and in the last phrase of this verse, Jesus says, “for apart from me you can do nothing.”
I do not know about you but the Lord Jesus has to periodically remind me of things that he has taught me before and sometimes he even has to remind me over and over again of these things. Just recently I had one of those moments when I realized that I was moving in a manner that was inconsistent with what He had taught me before.
Do We Truly Have Free Choice?
May 25, 2008
Do we actually have Free Choice? Is there such a thing as a truly free choice.
Are our choices free of influence, free of the influences of our experiences, good or bad, of our education, our familial heritage, generational sins and enslavements or bondages, of our cultural values and beliefs, of our politics, etc. etc.? Are our choices free from the power and influences of sin and its powerful nature within us? In a word, No!
Seeing the More
May 19, 2008
Acts 22:14-15 (ESV) And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 5 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
A couple of years ago, we were in another country on a prayer walk. We had left that morning to go on this prayer walk and I was excited because of what the Lord had showed the evening before in prayer. As a result, I was walking rather briskly as we headed out towards the place of prayer that we were going to be at this morning. It was a historical place, an ancient place and a very spiritually strategic place for the area.
Asking For The Ancient Paths
May 14, 2008
Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV) Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
From the very beginning, the ancient paths have always been the same, Listen to the voice of God, Obey the voice of God, walking in all that He commands and there, He will bless us His people. It is so very straight forward, Listen, Obey, doing the will, word and ways of God and He will be our God and we will be His people, prospering under His righteousness.
A Call To Abandonment
May 12, 2008
I want to post a story that took place in 1994. I have shared this vision before but not on this blog. The vision remains one that continues to stirr my heart and soul with a hunger and thirst for more of the Lord Jesus Christ and a desire to surrender all to join with Him in the current of His presence, forevermore.
I love that the Lord is so very willing to break into our everyday lives and speak to us, revealing His reality, if we are willing to listen. It helps to also have those around us who also are listening and willing to obey Him as well. So let me share with you my story, a story that remains as true today as it was then, maybe even more so.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Pt Three
May 8, 2008
As we continue our discussion from part two, we need to note that under this Holy Spirit’s endowment/gift of power for effectual ministry, or anointing, Peter then goes on to say that this promise is for you and for your children and for all who are afar off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself (Acts 2:39). Verse 38 of this same text is that which references Salvation. The context of this message has to do with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the questions that then arose in response to the demonstration of power of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples of Christ Jesus who were present in the upper room. The power of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples being what it was, drew attention, negative and positive, by those who were in observation of the disciples. This attention prompted their responses and questions that then needed to be addressed by Peter. It was addressed and in the power of the Holy Spirit provided Kingdom of God results.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Pt Two
May 7, 2008
John 20:23 (ESV) If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
What is most clearly associated with the Good News? Isn’t it that in and because of Christ Jesus and his death and blood shed upon the cross of Calvary that we are and can be born again, having all of our sins forgiven? In fact I believe that the Good News is simply because of Christ Jesus and it is, “Be of Good Cheer for In Christ Jesus your sins are forgiven, Believe it or not!” The disciples were empowered with the message and reality of the Gospel, the message of reconciliation through the forgiveness of sins by the redeeming work of Christ Jesus upon the cross, as accepted by the Father God through the resurrection of his only son, Christ Jesus and through their now being indwelt by the Holy Spirit of the living God as regenerated children of the Most High God! Yes!
